Liberia: Restoring trust through accountability – President Joseph Boakai’s challenge
President Joseph Boakai has made institutional reform and accountability the central pillars of his mandate. His agenda aims to restore citizens’ trust in public institutions, with an emphasis on transparency, the fight against corruption, and the strengthening of the rule of law.
One of the first symbolic measures was a 40% reduction in his own salary a strong gesture to demonstrate that effort must begin at the top. But beyond symbolism, Boakai has launched public audits within state institutions: the executive, legislative, judicial branches, and even the Central Bank.
These audits aim to identify financial irregularities, improve accountability, and reassure international partners about the rigor of public financial management.
To guarantee the independence of integrity institutions, the president has also strengthened mechanisms for protecting the tenure of key officials. The objective is to avoid political interference and enable these institutions to function without pressure.
This approach is accompanied by the creation of an Ombudsman’s Office, an asset recovery unit, and the ongoing process to establish a specialized court for economic and war crimes.
Public sector reform also involves digital modernization and financial transparency. More than 275,000 digital financial transactions were recorded in a single year, illustrating the determination to reduce opaque circuits and strengthen control over public spending.
President Boakai has also imposed performance contracts on agency heads, with clear objectives and measurable results.
Finally, the President has relaunched the transitional justice process, supporting the creation of a court to try war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the civil conflicts.
This initiative aims to turn the page on past impunity and consolidate peace through justice.
President Joseph Boakai wants to make Liberia a model of responsible governance in Africa. By placing accountability at the heart of his action, he seeks to build a fairer, more transparent, and more trustworthy state.
